The Farmer's Journey
by bogrady1254
Summary: Jack Kramer wakes up one day to find his chicken, Susan, has gotten loose. Now he and his girlfriend have to go search for her in the mine...


The Farmer's Journey

By: Brian O'Grady

Inspired by "Hay Day" by Supercell

Jack Kramer opens his eyes as faint sunlight shines in on him through the window. He rolls onto his side and looks at his clock. It reads 5:30. "Crack a dawn", Jack says to himself. He gets out of bed, stands up, and stretches his arms. His winter pajamas are red with white, vertical stripes. White rabbit slippers are on his feet. He brushes his blond hair back with his hand, turns and leaves his bedroom. After using the bathroom, he goes downstairs to make himself breakfast, scrambled eggs, three strips of bacon, a hot bowl of oatmeal, and a cup of coffee. After breakfast, he goes back upstairs to get dressed. He trades in his pajamas for a red and blue plaid shirt, denim jeans, and wool socks. He goes back to the bathroom to brush his teeth, and then travels back downstairs to the foyer. He opens the main closet to get his red scarf, stocking cap, and red, thick jacket. He takes a deep breath as he opens the front door. In an instant, the cold air outside assaults his face. He steps outside and closes the door behind him. Snow is covering everything outside. He stops for a moment to think about what he needs to do first. "I need to collect the eggs from the chicken coops before they freeze". As he stands there, he catches a tiny bit of movement at the end of his driveway. A red balaclava is on her head, but her face is uncovered. A blue dress adorns her body, and she has a wallet in one hand. A smile emerges on Jack's face as she gets closer. He steps off his porch as she finally reaches it. The two of them meet with a hug and a kiss on the lips.

When they stop kissing the woman says, "Oh, sorry I have the wrong house", and starts to turn away. Jack bursts out laughing as the woman smiles and turns back around.

"Ah, Rose, you funny girl" Jack says. "So, uh, what can I do for you dear?" he continues as he leans back a little and puts his thumbs in his pockets.

"Can you sell me half a dozen eggs?" Rose replies, "Mom and Daisy are making cookies today and their running low".

"Sure thing" says Jack, "In fact, I was just going to get some eggs from the coops. I'll be right back". As he says that, he turns, raises his hand, and extends his index finger. Jack walks over to the coops to find all the chickens fast asleep, with earmuffs on so they don't get cold. When he gets close, he says, "Good morning chickens". All the chickens raise their heads to look at him. He steps over the fence and into the coop, and the chickens all scurry to get out of his way, clucking as they do. "Good to see you're all here, Natalie, Katie, Joel, Mandy, Amy, and Susan...wait a minute" he says. He counts off all his chickens. His eyes widen once he realizes there are only five chickens present when there should be six. "Susan?" he calls. He looks around the coop, but finds no sign of her. "Susan?!" he calls again. "Susan, where are you?" he calls as he steps out of the coop. He walks over to the barn and opens the front door. "Susan?" he calls in. Nothing. He goes to the silo and looks in. "Susan?" he calls in. Again, nothing. He walks over to the cow pasture. "Susan?" he calls in. All he gets are moos of discontent from the cows. Then he tries the pig pen. Then he tries the sheep pasture. And the goat yard. And the horse stables. But there is no sign of Susan. As Jack stops for a moment, a look of worry on his face, he sees Rose walking to him.

"What's wrong Jack?" she asks.

"It's my chicken, Susan" he says "She's gotten lost again. But I've looked everywhere and I can't find her. I've checked the barn, the silo, the cow pastures…".

"What about the mine?" Rose asks.

Jack shudders when he hears her say that. "Uh, I, don't think she would go in there, Rose" he responds.

"She might have. Come on, let's go look" Rose says as she walks towards the mine entrance. Jack reaches his hand out to her to try and get her to stop, but to no avail. Sighing, he starts to follow her. Once they reach the mine entrance, they stop. There is a fresh covering a snow on the ground in front of it. With tracks. Chicken tracks. Jack and Rose look into the mine, as dark as a night with no moon in the sky. "Well, let's go" Rose says as she starts to enter. Jack grabs her shoulders and spins her around to face him.

"No, Rose! Don't go in there! We don't know what's in there!" Jack says, somewhat quivering.

"It's just a mine, Jack. It's completely safe. Besides, don't you go in there everyday almost?" She asks.

"Yeah, but I don't go in very far. Just far enough to get some ore. And besides, I don't even like doing that" he responds.

"Well, Susan is in there, and if you want to know if she's safe or not you'll have to go in" she says. Seeing Jack's shuddering, she follows up with, "Would you feel better if we went together?" Jack ceases shuddering and looks at Rose.

He sighs and says, "Sure". The two hold hands as they enter the mine together. As they go deeper into the mine, it gets even darker. A chill permeates the air. The sound of dripping water can be heard a good distance away. As they round a corner, a small rock is heard falling. Jack jumps back and lets out a yelp that echoes along the walls.

Rose puts her index finger to her lip and whispers, "Shhh. I think I hear something". A faint sound of clucking can be heard in the distance. Jack eyes widen as he points to a light coming through a hole in the wall. As they approach it, the sound of the clucking gets louder. The hole is just wide enough for two people to look in. Jack and Rose peek through, and their eyes widen at the sight. Sitting around a massive stone table is a flock of chickens clucking to each other. Soon, however, a tapping sound is heard. All the chickens turn to face a rooster with an enlarged skull pecking a piece of gold ore.

The rooster then loudly proclaims, "I now call this meeting of the Ichickenati to order!". As he finishes, a banner opens behind him, displaying a pyramid with a drumstick on it, the meaty end being at the top of the pyramid, and the bone below it. All the other chickens clap their wings.

"Hey" Jack whispers "That's Chucky the rooster!"

"Chucky?" whispers Rose, "You mean that cute little rooster that was modified to have a brain the size of a normal human but got loose and was never seen again? That Chucky?"

"Yeah, and he's up to something" Jack leans in a bit closer.

Chucky begins, "Now, my brethren, it is time for us to rise against our oppressors!" All the chickens start clucking in agreement. "For years we have been slaving away, kept in cages, fed nothing but chicken feed, forced to lay eggs for those hungry humans!" All the chickens cluck angrily at his words. "But not anymore! Now we have the strength to stand up, and demand chicken equality! Soon, we shall be free!" All the chickens start cheering as Chucky begins pumping his right wing in the air. "Chicken power! Chicken power! Come, chant with me brethren! Chicken power! Chicken power!" All the chickens start clucking and raising their wings in rhythm. A drop of water falls from the ceiling of the cave and hits Jack in the back of his neck. He lets out a yelp, jumps backwards, and hits his head on the wall, knocking himself out. Chucky and the chickens stop chanting and their heads turn to the hole in the wall. "Intruders! Intruders! Get them!" Rose gives Jack a shake to try and wake him up, but she gets knocked out with a hit to her head. When Jack and Rose wake up, they are in a cage barely big enough to fit them both. The chickens are all crowded around them. They look to see Chucky approaching them. He stands in front of them and asks, "Who are you two and what do you think you are doing here?".

Shaking, Jack answers, "Uh, I'm Jack Kramer, and this is my girlfriend Rose. We didn't know you were in here!"

"Yeah right," says Chucky, "I bet you were sent here by our enemies to nip our revolution in the bud! Or at least spy on us!"

"No, we weren't" says Rose, "we came in here looking for Jack's lost chicken, Susan!" At her words, a cluck is heard from the crowd. The only chicken in the crowd with earmuffs on hops towards Chucky.

"Susan? Is that you?" Jack asks. Susan answers with an affirmative cluck.

"You know these two?" Chucky asks of her. Susan again answers with an affirmative cluck. Then she starts clucking at him, as if speaking to him. "Why should I let them go? They're humans! They kept us in cages like the one they're in now!" Susan clucks back at him. "What do you mean these two are different?" Susan clucks again. "They don't keep chickens in cages?" Susan clucks again. "In fact, there nice to chickens?" Susan clucks affirmatively.

"Susan's right. I would never even think about hurting a chicken" Jack chimes in.

Chucky looks back at Susan, then back to Jack and Rose, then sighs and says, "Alright, I guess you can go free". He then points at them and says, "But you must promise to never walk in on us again!"

"We promise" Jack and Rose say together. Chucky picks up a key with his beak and opens their cage. Jack crawls out first, and then helps Rose crawl out. Susan hops on to Jack's shoulder. As they start to leave, Chucky stops them.

"But please, don't go telling people were down here either!" he says.

"We won't! Don't worry Chucky, you can count on us!" Jack replies. He, Rose, and Susan all exit the cave together. When Jack approaches the chicken coop, Susan hops off his shoulder and into the coop. Jack then collects six eggs from the coop, carries them back to the driveway, and sells them to Rose. Rose does a curtsy and then the two of them walk to the end of the driveway. As Rose leaves for home, Jack looks at his mailbox. "The papers here" he says to himself. He pulls it out of the mailbox, opens it up, and widens his eyes at the front page title: "CHICKENS GO ON STRIKE".


End file.
